I understand to some degree writing style will depend on blog content. I do find myself constantly fighting my want to use contractions. My elementary school teacher’s voices keep screaming in my head, do not use contractions when writing!

As a general rule write how people read; or write how it is supposed to be written. I try to take the “high road” and write properly. I recall reading on some blogs that one should leave in small spelling errors here or there as they make you appear more human. I personally find it meaning that people in general are too lazy to use spell check? Not to say that I have not had a spelling error or two show up in my work from time to time but I sure as heck fix it when I find them.

What are your thoughts everyone?

@glengorham
Hi Glen!
In the Spring (Apr) I just published my 2nd book on blogging, Creative Blogging, and in the beginning chapters we covered “grammar” related topics. I went over a few basic mistakes in grammar, but stressed that in general blogging content is more relaxed and conversational (as well as FB more so).  That you are not really bound to the “grammar” rules in writing a manual or essay.  You are more free to “chat” in a tone or style that suits you and your personality, and style of your business and blog.

I write how-to articles so they are normally easy to read, basic grammar and style.  I do love to use smiley faces as it’s part of my personality

However, I do tell people to use the Spell Checker in any event.  But we all make mistakes and Spell Checker doesn’t always pick up everything. So proof reading is good. Some people have extra staff they can hire to proof read.

So although content can be more relaxed and conversational, it should be well written (without obvious spelling errors for example).

That’s just my two cents…LOL.
Happy blogging,
Heather

@glengorham

Hey Glen,

You will be happy to know that we hire a professional copy editor who reviews each and every post before it goes live.

And we also have at least four editors touch each article (associate editor, managing editor, copy editor and executive editor).

So I feel removing errors is very important to a positive impression.

Do you need to go this far?  Heck no…

I always review my post on Facebook before hitting share because I don’t like spelling or grammar errors in the post – sometimes they even change the meaning of the post.  That’s not to say that spelling and grammar errors don’t slip through.  I don’t think they should be done intentionally though.

If it would be “conversationally correct” (and now I’ve made up a word so I’m grammatically incorrect I suppose), I would say use it.  Social media is social and more relaxed than other writing so contractions are fine, if the spelling and grammar is otherwise correct.  I just read somewhere that you should never use a semicolon, that you should always make a second sentence.  I don’t agree with that at all.  There’s a reason we have a semicolon.  My point being that some of these so-called experts are just self-proclaimed experts and never had Mrs. Roberts for eighth grade English class.  LOL.  And yes, I say all those little expressions like LOL, can be used IMHO on FB posts.

@glengorham I think the biggest, most important piece is spelling, and using the “write” words in the right place Other than that, I try to write the way I’d speak to someone – personably & when appropriate using contractions. Even more so on Facebook, people take it as a direct conversation & are put off if you’re speaking “stiffly”. For long sentences – before ruling out the semi-colon, I’d look for a way to shorten the sentence – making it easier for quick scanning eyes to read.

Regardless of what we think about spelling issues…  The facts are still the same.  Our fans want us to be approachable and they want us to interact with them. This comes down to how we use our comments on our pages.   

I try to watch the spelling on my business pages, but…  they still happen and my followers really do not care. They are happy to be a part of a community of other people who also mis spell at times.  (Is this a horse related thing?)    For them, the closeness of the community, and how we interect with each other, is more important. 

Accept (or use) ZERO excuses for writing poorly. Don’t take this to mean you can bend the rules of grammar, but do take this to mean social media and texting should not be confused with each other. 

At a keynote prez at Blog World LA, Peter Shankman told a huge audience, “Bad writing is killing America.” Yup. 

@glengorham this is a great topic! I think it’s important to master the art of writing conversationally in business today — as an English major and former practicing lawyer that was a bit cringe-worthy at first, but now it comes naturally.

Reading a lot of the business books out there today, including Mike’s book Launch, you notice right away how easy they are to read because they’re written in that conversational, straightforward style. To me that style (most of the time) is in best possible service to the reader, particularly for web and marketing writing when the goal is (usually) to give important information in a way that can be taken in quickly (skimmed, then read in more detail later if warranted)

I find grammar mistakes pretty cringe-worthy, can forgive the errant spelling mistake here and there, but for client work and for large projects for my own business I always have an editor involved.

While I love to use a conversational tone in my blogs and posts, I am careful to abide by proper spelling and grammar.  Occasionally something will slip by me, but I make every effort to check and recheck my content before hitting the share button. Considering that I am blogging for my business, I believe that any less attention to proper spelling and grammar would look unprofessional.  And if I happen to be creating content as a representative for a social media client, such lapses would be completely unacceptable.